Tensions rise in South Sudan: US calls for VP Machar's release

The United States on Thursday called on South Sudan President Salva Kiir to release his rival First Vice President Riek Machar who was reportedly under house arrest, saying it was time the country's leaders demonstrated their commitment to peace.

Machar's SPLM-IO party said on Wednesday that the defence minister and chief of national security "forcefully entered" Machar's residence and delivered an arrest warrant.

Machar was being held at his house with his wife and two bodyguards, accused of being implicated in fighting between the military and White Army in Nasir, Upper Nile State this month, Reath Muoch Tang, a senior SPLM-IO official said in a statement seen by Reuters on Thursday.

"We are concerned by reports South Sudan's First Vice President Machar is under house arrest," Washington's Bureau of African Affairs wrote on X.

"We urge President Kiir to reverse this action & prevent further escalation of the situation."

Under a peace deal which ended a 2013-2018 civil war between forces loyal to Machar on one side and Kiir on the other, South Sudan has five vice-presidents. Kiir's longtime rival and opposition leader Machar is currently serving as first vice-president.

The United Nations has warned that recent clashes in Nasir between the army and the White Army, a militia with historical ties to Machar, and a rise in hate-speech could reignite along ethnic lines the civil war which ended in 2018.

Machar's SPLM-IO party denies ongoing links with the White Army.

"It is time for South Sudan's leaders to demonstrate sincerity of stated commitments to peace," Washington's Bureau of African Affairs wrote on X.

South Sudan's army and government spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Call for restraint

Political analysts say that the peace deal, under which Kiir and Machar have been serving in a fragile coalition government, is on the brink of collapse.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) called for restraint, saying that the country's leaders stood on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict.

"This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region," UNMISS said in a statement.

Earlier this month Kiir's government detained several officials from Machar's party, including the petroleum minister and the deputy head of the army, in response to the clashes with the White Army in Upper Nile State.

On Wednesday, the UN reported fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar close to the capital Juba.

The 2013-2018 civil war, which was fought largely along ethnic lines, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the world's youngest nation

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The party of South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar said on Wednesday it was trying to locate him after the defence minister and chief of national security "forcefully entered" his residence and delivered an arrest warrant.

Constitutional breach

In a statement, Machar's SPLM-IO party condemned "a blatant violation of the Constitution and the Revitalized Peace Agreement," which ended a 2013-2018 civil war between forces loyal to Machar on one side and to President Salva Kiir on the other.

"His bodyguards were disarmed, and an arrest warrant was delivered to him under unclear charges. Attempts are currently being made to relocate him," the statement said.

A government spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.

Fragile peace

Foreign governments have warned that civil war could break out again in South Sudan following weeks of escalating tensions that originated in fighting between government troops and a militia that has historically been close to Machar's forces.

In response to the fighting since late February in the northeastern Upper Nile State, Kiir's government has detained several officials from Machar's party, including the petroleum minister and the deputy head of the army.

Political fallout

Earlier on Wednesday, the United Nations reported clashes over the past 24 hours between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar outside the capital Juba.

The civil war from 2013-2018, which was fought largely along ethnic lines, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the world's youngest nation. South Sudan won its independence from Sudan in 2011.

The fighting in Upper Nile has displaced 50,000 people since last month, according to the United Nations.

Norway announced on Wednesday it was temporarily shutting its embassy in Juba due to deteriorating security. The United States ordered non-emergency government personnel to leave two weeks ago.